Okay, do I have your attention now? Not that Aunt Bee, of the famed “Andy Griffin Show” from the 1960s (and still in reruns around the world today).
The more I think about it, it really is too bad that Barney Fife wasn’t around to “nip this one in the bud.”
It seems that Jeff Carstensen, from Charlotte, North Carolina, got spooked when he learned his grandmother planned to buy him a $100,000 life insurance policy—and name herself the beneficiary. As he and everyone else who came into Betty Neumar’s world have learned, he apparently had good reason to get spooked and to run as fast away from her as he could!
The 76-year-old Georgia woman sits today in a North Carolina jail on a $500,000 bond, accused of hiring a hit man to kill fourth husband Harold Gentry. Authorities are re-examining the deaths of her first child and four of the five men she married, including Gentry.
To date, no motive for these deaths has been discussed, but records and interviews with relatives and police officials paint Neumar as a domineering matriarch consumed by money. Al Gentry, who pressed North Carolina authorities for 22 years to reopen their investigation of his brother’s death said: “You can’t trust her. You can’t believe a word she says.”
It seems that Neumar collected at least $20,000 in 1986 when Harold Gentry was shot to death in his home. A year earlier, she had collected $10,000 in life insurance when her son died. She also had a life insurance policy on husband No. 5, John Neumar, who died in October. The official cause of death was listed as sepsis, but authorities are investigating whether he was poisoned.
To the outside world, family members said, she was Bee—a friendly woman who operated beauty shops, attended church and raised money for charity. But Carstensen saw another side: fist fights at family functions, use of obscenities and belittling of relatives, how she would act “one way in public—especially church—and another behind closed doors.”
I am always amazed at how people act in public (church included) and then how they act at home, behind closed doors.
As a child, my mother and father often groaned to my brother and me, “Why can’t you act as good at home as you do at church?”
Know anyone like Neumar? Good in public, terrible behind closed doors?
What do you say to such a person? What Scripture helps in situations like this?
How would you rather people act around you? With their "church-face" on? Or their "home-face on? Why?
I saw this in one of the news wires I read. My first thought was, "I get she goes to church too." Doggone it if I wasn't right. I wish I wasn't.
ReplyDeleteWhat would I say to her? Not sure. I would probably wait until the moment comes.
As for acting around me: I just want them to wear their "me" face. This is "me" and here I am.
I'm with cycleguy. I'm forever trying to reiterate the importance of authenticity in our lives. I would much rather know someone's real self than their pretend self. Our world operates on pretend. Customer service reps who'd like to rip your head off, but are so super nice. Ok so that's fine in business. But I don't want that kind of fake in real life. Of course, I think murderers have to be fake in order to get away with... well, murder.
ReplyDeleteBe you.
Heidi Reed
Heidi, you are most likely correct in your assertion of what it takes to get away with murder.
ReplyDeleteAs has been stated, I truly try to be at church what I am at home, what I am at work, etc.
The biggest dichotomy in my life is that I'm more outspoken and "verbal" on the web, though. I guess because I can "hide" behind the screen.
I wish more of us could learn to be honest and "one-faced" more of the time...However, I guess that goes against human nature for us too often. We put up fronts, hide behind masks, and cover our real feelings.
ReplyDeleteSteve, I want the real thing. I would rather folks not see me in my "happy pants", but most often they see me the way I am. Unless I am having a really sad day. I usually try to keep sadness to myself. Makes folks very uncomfortable to be around sad. They can handle mad, but not sad. And some folks can't handle glad. They'd rather you be bad. Okay, can you tell I'm taking pain pills for my back? lol. selahV
ReplyDeleteMrs. V.,
ReplyDeleteYour statement makes me "sad", pardon the pun. However, it really is a sad day if believers (in particular) can't handle the sadness or gladness of another person. Life is rarely on a level playing field. I've tried, during my life, to realize that people have their ups and downs, as do I. That's just where they are. While I may not want them to be in that place, all I can do is love them through whatever emotion they are going through.
Sometimes I am better at that than at other times!